YOUTH EXPECTATIONS FROM THE PROFESSIONAL MOVEMENT – ICMICA

PRESENTATION OF YOUTH EXPECTATIONS, BY TERERAI MADZIVANYIKA FROM ZAMBIA AND PAUL VINNY FROM DR CONGO, YOUTH AMBASSADORS FOR ICMICA AFRICA

It was observed that for a decade there has been a slow or no transition from the students’ movement (IMCS) to the Professional Movement (ICMICA). A survey was conducted by the two newly appointed Regional Youth Ambassadors (Paul Vinny from DR Congo and Terari Madzivanyika from Zambia) to ascertain on the real reasons of the discouragement of young people to join the professional branch. The results of the survey will help them to take the appropriate actions and advise the respective leaders accordingly.

Here are the results of the survey:

Total participants: 38

As a young professional, what are your expectations from the movement or what support do you need from the movement (ICMICA)

Guidance from ICMICA and additional training which supports progress at work.

Moral, spiritual, financial support on strengthening human capital

Supporting youth entrepreneurship.

Involving youth directly in the movement by discussing various issues on professional life also to get them to interact and share different ideas in their professional careers.

Church leaders to be fully involved in the training of students.

Mentorship from those who are experienced on online businesses

Exchange of knowledge, professional experience and challenges, the acquisition of professional expertise as Catholic youth.

Support in reaching career goals

Easy integration into professional life after studies, Post – university Professional accompaniment

A movement that will provide a strong foundation for teaching of the word.

A stable platform for networking Opportunities for professional development Training on community service, lobbying and advocacy

To attain more knowledge especially on how young people can use their academic ability to interprete religious related issues.

Theological studies

Trainings, Coaching, mentoring and empowerment

Empowerment on how to make life interesting to me and people around me & the entire world as a whole

Mentoring and assistance in obtaining job placements, providing job linkages to employers and organizations.

Support developmental projects of the youths and a creation of a professional supervision center

Look into and endorse the ideas of the youths in relationship to Good Governance, Poverty alleviation, Economic Development, Entertainment, and Faith of the Church.

In a movement that is not organized yet, it is a priority to allow other young people to integrate better. Help us in this direction. We also need to meet other MIICS around the world to share, discuss, learn from others, etc.

To have regular interactions with other professionals in the catholic ministry

Emotional and Spiritual support in order to understand my profession as a field of evangelization

Opportunities and Connections

Seminars and postgraduate scholarships.

Mainly the support I need from the movement as a water engineering professional is to help provide clean water to those that can’t access it

Many young graduates roam the streets of our societies such that even if they are at a level where they need to give back to the society and the needy to be precise becomes difficult. Therefore, this movement should give the young graduates a platform where they can practice the profession and if possible help them find jobs in various professional bodies based on merit of course.

Promote my knowledge through additional training. Have professional internships and intercultural and professional dialogue.

Continuous engagement with fellow professionals. As a young professional, I am at the heart of settling my life and making sure, everything runs smoothly for me. This means I am constantly held up with worrying and running around. I need to be engaged with planned activities. Schedules need to be made so that I easily align my program with that of ICMICA. Without the plan, it is hard for me to participate.

We need programs that work on mental health, Christian formation, youth leadership, parenting and marriage counseling. I expect this from an organization that brings more life to me.

Support with capital to fund business/educational enhancement

Do you have challenges transiting from students’ movement to the professionals (ICMICA – MIIC). If yes, can you share about them?

Yes: 18/20 No: 02/20

• Yes because the professional movement has failed to make itself visible in my country.
• Yes, the professional movement is disjointed. Maybe it’s because people tend to disperse after tertiary levels
• Yes. There’s is lack of support on the part of leaders. In my countries, their is discrimination on the basis of age as a big number of ICMICA members are old. The newly young professionals are not taken seriously. Their views do not matter. Their participation is perceived to be of lesser importance
• Yes. No one follows up on IMCS alumni in my country to give you that urge to want to join the professional movement. So very often we do not know it exists and thus many alumni keep suffering and struggling after university. Remaining alone with no support from friends.
• Yes. Problem of integration and communication
• Yes. I have had challenges because I have missed most of the physical meetings because I have been transferred to a different region of the country
• Yes. There is no official orientation into the professional group. I would expect that each year, a mass or meeting is held to welcome new graduates and professionals to integrate them into the Movement. I feel no apparent commitment because I am not officially recognized. I am only called upon when there is need to offer money. I need to feel part of a family. I do not know the leadership or structure of the Movement.
• Yes. Through its many relationships, ICMICA should put me in contact with suitable structures in which I could find documents or even qualified professionals as trainers.
• Yes. We hope ICMICA is there to meet IMCS expectations. So help young people to deepen their Catholic faith and to be critical of the life we ​​lead. Without the presence of God nothing will be possible and that MIIC remains optimistic through these objectives and commitment.
• More comments
• Support with capital to support project take off
• Support is needed from the church in different learning institutions
• As Christian youth with different professionalism who came from different countries, we should make sure that we are exchanging knowledge, ideas and life experiences in order to grow mentally, faithfully.
• The movement should be strengthened
• Empowerment to young professionals should not be a direct cash but as a project. e.g in Zambia there’s a big land and plenty of water which can support fish farming.
• Being an international movement of professionals, you can help young people who have just finished their studies to easily get work for example in international organizations (NGOs).
• I will be glad to see a Christian movement which is robust with the strong Emphasis on the word. A movement with members founded and grounded in faith, faith in the Son of God. Only then, will we see meaningful impact of members in Society
• Also forum for experience exchange on several contemporary topics
• Kindly keep the connection between the university movement and the professional movement close. Let there be a transition strategy so that alumni can be received by the professional movement
• Create a framework for professional promotion and professional opportunities within ICMICA
• Support the children’s movements
• It is certainly true that the ICMICA allows us to enrich our creative capacities. The big challenge is the lack of the follow-up of international leaders to the actions of dismembered groups. We ask that through either our Gmail, we are put in contact with possible helpers that can revive us
• I encourage ICMICA to move forward. In addition, much effort must be made to promote the integral development of our dear continent, the cradle of humanity.
• Sharing experience to promote the integral development of all Africans in order to achieve effective independence. We need effective cooperation in order to achieve energy efficiency to develop our cradle.
• I would want to learn more
• It will be good to have a formal point of reference for young professionals
• I would like to advise that for the case of training you can prepare online meeting especially for Young professionals so that we can attain wisdom on how to live in this globalized world. My heartfelt thanks for this position of filling this questionnaire as a youth.
• Organize a big meeting for all